IWWF Ranking List... Really!!! Is it a joke?

[rico]

And when I thought it could not get worse...

 

The IWWF Waterski Council decided that because of the effects of the global pandemic which meant that many skiers did not have the opportunity to record scores in 2020 and that the total number of scores was greatly reduced, that the 2020 Rankings would be a combination of the 2019 rankings and the 2020 rankings. One important decision is that skiers would at least retain their 2019 ranking position in the 2020 rankings. The effect of this is that the actual ranking number assigned may not be in sequential order but nevertheless that is the official ranking.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@rico I don't understand your heartburn. This actually seems to be a reasonable solution to me. For example if someone wanted to go to Moomba or some other tournament in 2021 that position on the ranking list was important, but didn't (or couldn't) ski in an L tournament in 2020, that would still allow them to qualify and enter.

 

If you're concerned about 3rd and 4th spots being swapped, ranking lists have never been (and will never be) perfect.

[rico]

@Bruce_Butterfield I think the point of the ranking list for a given year should be to rank skiers on the basis of the scores they obtained at the event they attended in that given year.

 

So if skier entered 15 L tournaments in 2020 but had crappy scores, they still rank great because of their 2019 scores???

 

If Moomba want to change their qualifications requirement they can just say they will use both 2019 and 2020 lists.

 

My heartburn is I don’t like nonsense. I think it is a slap in the face and disrespect to all skiers and organizers of 2020 competitions.

[Horton]

I was hurt most of last year and skied like crap besides but maintained my position on the lost because of my 2019 scores. Yea that is crap.

[jayski]

I am 100% in agreeance with @rico it's just plain wrong, the Canadian federation did the same thing.

 

It's a slap in the face to those that made efforts and persevered in a most difficult time. For those of us (old folks) who see these rankings as meaningful (team selections) this 2 year score inclusion has bumped some skiers out of the cutoff for Sr. Worlds or Sr. Pan Ams entry. @Horton example of skiing bad this year but his last year scores could bump a skier out of contention even though he is skiing much less tjan last year and may not be deserving of his ranking (nothing personal @Horton just an example).

 

It's ?? ?

[Horton]

@jayski 100% agree. I got a free pass for a failed year. I had enough opportunity to attend L events.

[The_MS]

I’m finally back after 3 years and now I’m competing against people with 24 months worth of scores?

[Horton]

Ok I confess I blackmailed the IWSF to do this just to discourage @The_MS

[disland]

Event holders need to stop using the ranking list for ANYTHING and then no one will care, which is how it should be. Qualification for big events should be based on winning or placing in national championships, with some relatively low baseline score so someone doesnt show up from Zimbawe skiing long line

[lpskier]

Nationals isn’t a “big event?”

[disland]

@lpskier read my post, I said Nationals should qualify you for "big events" i.e. worlds, Jr US Open Under 21 worlds, Jr Masters, etc

[Horton]

Nationals is a large event but it's not a particularly elite event.

[lpskier]

For 99% of US tournament skiers, Nationals is the Big Dance.

 

Caveat: 90% of all statistics are made up on the spot!

[Drago]

The 1% that don't go to nationals are elite pros

[NikolG]

Even bigger BS...the US Masters is not using the ranking list for Juniors, alllll the Juniors were in Florida all season working their butts off to qualify and the ones that weren't were already qualified as defending champions.

 

Bigger BS part 2....US 2020 National Champions as a qualification for Junior Masters as they have done EVERY YEAR in the past. US Nationals WAS held in 2020, it was very well-attended (especially in the Jr Ranks)

 

Bigger BS part 3...US Masters Wakeboard IS taking their 2020 National Champions to same US Masters as well as 2020 Moomba Wakeboard Champions?‍♀️

 

Bigger BS part 4...2021 Moomba Champions can be invited to the US Masters if they hit unattainable scores. (Yet no one outside of Australia can even attend the event, the waivers haven’t been approved. That’s in addition to the 2 week quarantine) However, 2020 Moomba Champions (another well attended event!) will not be invited to the Masters for waterskiing. (Only wakeboarding)

 

I could go on and on...Nautique is basically saying 2020 counts for nothing...spend your money in Florida this Spring (again!) and do it all over (again!) to re-qualify....

 

[Horton]

@NikolG Tell us how you really feel.

[Luzz]

@NikolG Just a non-US example to further support what you are saying. Last summer, we had a very limited number of tournaments in Europe, all cramped up between August and September. I coach a young and very promising Jr jumper who is currently 1st on the IWWF Jr rankings out two tournaments he skied. Not only he feels slightly robbed for not being invited, he is now waiting to figure out if he can even make it to the US (travel restrictions) to ski more tournaments to qualify.

As a reminder, the official excuse why Masters were canceled in August was the inability for World Class international skiers to make it to the venue.

[disland]

The Masters needs to re-think everything or they will end up losing thier prestige (if they havent done so already)

[mike_mapple]

of the top athletes in our sport...How many do not live in the US 90% of the year / are currently here? Im sure some are over seas, but I would say the majority do live in the US, I cannot speak for Juniors @Luzz because I would assume thats pretty split.

 

Who was unable to make it to the masters that year, does anyone know?

[Broussard]

@mike_mapple There is a particular athlete on Team Nautique that spends a good bit of time in their home country across the pond...

[NikolG]

Based on the ranking list, Florian killed it and should be invited and not have to stress about spending 1 month+ in Florida trying to re-qualify. @Luzz

 

I can't speak for the Pros but Juniors were actively competing, whether in the US or in their home country (albeit limited competitions for some) Defending champs are already invited so their spot is secure, it just makes 0 sense to repeat the Fall season for Juniors, many who moved to Florida to ski Fall 2020. It's expensive, we're STILL in a pandemic and if the reasoning is for better attendance the extra time & money is a huge burden for families to attend 3 events over a months time. (Juniors still need their parents for hotels, rental cars etc)

 

It's also a slap in the face to not invite US National Champions as they have done EVERY year in the past. Nationals was awesome and Tri-Lakes worked their asses off to pull it off and Nautique basically acting as if it didn't happen for Waterskiing. This sport at the Junior level is like throwing dollars out the window on the highway, the moving target keeps changing....

[mike_mapple]

@Broussard on the team, there are only two who are not in the US, Rabbit, and Robert. Josh just left the US to go home, so i guess you can say 3. I have not really watched many events this year other than my personal friends, Did Jacinta come jump in any of them?(this is a legit question, if she did not I am not trying to be sarcastic) I know its hard to get into AUS, but pretty easy to get into the US, I know she has been doing her weightlifting pretty serious. At the end of the day for a pro if this is the job they can make it work. However quite a few pros left the sport to go after other endeavors over the years, so I would not be surprised if in a few years people are doing other things. Just my .02

[unksskis]

Maybe we're starting to see how Nautique really feels about 3 event. @disland , I think it already has, too many situations where people weren't invited. Remember when I believe Danylo qualified for jump at 5 1/2, so he couldn't compete but took someone's spot? Not his fault, but shows the lack of direction and organization, or just old ways of the Masters doing things.

[Broussard]

@mike_mapple I don't think Jacinta has been to the US in a while. Her last sanctioned tourney in the states was Malibu Open in September of 2019.

[lpskier]

@Drago Exactly. Except, of course for the ones that did in fact show up. Nate, Regina, Freddie, Jeff Rodgers, Pouchie, Brooke, ... you know, those slackers.

[Luzz]

@mike_mapple Agreed with you on the 90%ish of Pros in the US. Juniors are all over the place, and given that RC and L events happened last year to some extent, in my opinion they should have stuck to the usual. I just hope this is an adjustment year given all the pandemic chaos, and that they resume a system that doesn't force moving to Florida for a month for the sole purpose of qualifying to the Masters.

[jayski]

So what is the deadline for all these skiers to drop off the list that do not hold a IWSF licence??